F150 Raptor Expedition Vehicle

Thought I would share my build progress

The idea is to build a very Land-Rover style expedition vehicle in terms of equipment and functionality, but mix it with a more Baja truck aesthetic and performance It will then be used for expedition trips in the Middle East so it seems to be the logical thing to do


Been wanting the Raptor for a very long time and in January - finally managed to get one. A 2013 GCC Spec F150 Raptor with improved cooling over the USA-spec models. Bigger radiator, bigger transmission cooler etc etc. make it more suitable for the climate. The new Air Conditioned seats are a nice feature too!



Step 1: Get it dirty:



Step 2: Collect roof top tent, raise front suspension:



Next - 3D Scan the truck and design the rack that will support the roof top tent, lighting, Off Road Flags, and two Awnings:







Then - Warn Hidden Winch - 9.5 XPS with wireless remote:



Then - pulled apart the factory wheels, removed the 12 bolt vanity trim ring and had them powdercoated a lighter silver colour and then re-assembled with the Ford Racing functional 24 bolt beadlock ring. The same wheel can have the tire installed either way - depending on which ring you use.







And the latest update - fabrication of the roof rack is well under way






It's going on a raw unpainted test run over the weekend - and then if it's all good it comes off for sand-blasting and powder-coating.

---------- Post added at 02:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:52 PM ----------

Some pictures from this weekend's shake-down run

Overall worked very well - but got a few plans for minor improvements before it gets powdercoated.

Found these guys stuck in a ditch - winched them out



Coming down one of the bigger dunes...







LOVING the beadlock wheels. The truck went everywhere we pointed it on low pressures.







Tent was awesome. Slept great in it. However why some people thought music at 7 am was a good idea I will never know.

That looks really good! Did you have to lower it for your parking?

do you have more specifics on how the cooling system is different? also i don't think a 9500lb winch will be enough for a raptor as you want to have a winch rated at roughly doubly what the truck ways other wise on those really good stucks you may fry your winch. i know in my local area guys go at least double and put 12000lb winches on little toyota mini trucks that only weight 4000-5000lbs just saying ymmv

Awesome! Been looking for a solution like this for a while.

Laurie,
At the risk of repeating myself, (I sent a question to you on the "What did you do to your Raptor today?" link)....Did you tie the two rear most supports together at the base, (above the tailgate)? I am wondering if the bedsides might sag outwards with my 230# weight and a another 120# friend in the camper. Maybe a removable crossbar at the base?
Lastly...any plans for marketing?
Thanks,
Eddie

Really like what you've done.

Weight up high is always a concern and it looks like your rack & RTT is as lightweight as possible. What make RTT did you go with?

I like what you've done with your wheels - nice to see something other than black wheels.

We don't see too many expedition-equipped Raptors. Keep us posted on what you're still planning on doing.

Looking good.

Sweet setup dude! Truck looks great!! The rims look awesome!!

Outta curiosity, what do you do??

While I don't think I'd put a rack on my truck like that due to personal needs, it looks really cool and functional. Well executed L.

Been seeing you pics on a few threads now. Glad you started a build thread.
Couple things to note.
1) I like the direction your going. Should be fun.
2) Do you have a frame support? You may want to consider something for the weight and style of off-roading your doing.
3) looks like your bed rack has enough clearance to allow for bed and cab movement. Good job.
4) you might also want to look into a solution to prevent bed spread.
5) a Waren 12,000 lb power plant winch / air compressor might be what your looking for. The 9,000 lb winch is a bit on the small side for our trucks.
6) the wheels look bad ass.

Yukon Joe
www.RUNRAPTORRUN.com